In the game of golf, once a person has landed their ball on the green, the game is played with a putter. The putter has a special head for contacting the ball which is connected to a shaft and on the end of the shaft is a putter grip allowing a person to grip the putter firmly. Since the invention of the first golf putter, putter grips have been used. Throughout the years they have changed in composition, materials and overall shape, but still remain similar to the original ones used. The putter grip is adhered to the end of the shaft of the putter and allows a player to grip the putter.
Typically, the game of golf is played with a number of players, which often results in a number of players being on a green at the same time and all putting on the green. To prevent one player from hitting another player's ball when they are on a green, ball markers are commonly used to mark the spot where a player has a ball on the green so that another player does not knock the first player's ball out of place when he or she putts. A player will place a ball marker (typically a relatively flat marker) on the ground where his or her ball lies and will then pick up the ball marker until it his or her time to putt. When it is the player's turn to putt, the player will place their ball back on the spot marked with the ball marker and then play their ball.
However, in order to use a ball marker to mark a player's position on a green, a player must carry a ball marker or have one handy. It is desirable to have a ball marker handy when it is needed.
United States Patent Application Publication 2006/0264267 to Fox discloses a grip for a golf club such as a putter, with a magnet contained within the end of the grip. It discloses storing a ball marker on the side of the grip by using the magnet to magnetically hold the ball marker against the grip when the ball marker is not in use. However, the ball marker is simply placed on the outside of the grip where it can easily come in contact with other objects and be brushed off, such as when a player is using the golf club to putt. Even if the ball marker is not knocked off of the grip when a player is putting, because it is exposed on the side of the grip, it can still snag clothing or an arm of a user making it a nuisance or even interfering with a player's putt.
It is desirable to provide a grip for a golf club with a place to carry a ball marker that is handy when a player is putting and yet still somewhat secure so that the ball marker will not be knocked off easily or impede a player putting with the golf club.